Chessmates Mittens are an engaging knit for an experienced knitter. The design boasts a sideways construction, short row shaping, an ergonomic thumb and gusset, marled colourwork with Basketweave stitch on the cuff, and grafting.

The mitten is knitted sideways with two seams (grafts), one along the centre back and another along the inner thumb. You start knitting at the centre back, work half back, then front, and then second half back. The thumb is incorporated into the mitten body on the indicated row of the back.

I came up with this mitten construction a few years ago, when experimenting with making beaded garter mittens. This is my second mitten pattern after Sweet Rowan Mittens, published in 2021.

This design was inspired by Anna Maltz’s book Marlisle: A New Direction in Knitting, where she explores new colourwork possibilities when knitting in garter with two yarns held together.

The pattern is written and charted with substantial video support. I do recommend watching the videos before you start making the mittens.

Yarn Swatches Video

DESIGN

• a sideways construction
• 3D shaping with short rows
• an ergonomic thumb and gusset
• basketweave stitch
• grafting
• marled colourwork

PATTERN

• written and charted
• video support
• tested & tech edited

DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Intermediate /advanced

SIZES
Three sizes for hand circumferences 6⅝, 7¼, 7⅞ in (17/18.5/20cm). Finished mitten circumference has about ½in / 1.25cm negative ease.

YARN
Single ply sport or fingering weight yarn in two colours. You will need 1 ball (50g/190yds/175m) of each colour.

GAUGE
4in (10cm) square measures

25 sts x 47 rows in garter stitch
28 sts x 47 rows in basketweave stitch

TOOLS AND NOTIONS

• pair US 1.5/2.5mm 32in/80cm circular needles

• one US 1.5/2.5mm DPN needle

• tapestry needle

• four stitch markers

• scrap yarn in contrasting colour